


Autoimmune

by Magnus_Babe



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: DKA, Diabetes, Diabetic Ketoacidosis, Endocrinologist Magnus, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magnus is a well respected doctor, Mundane Alec Lightwood, Protective Magnus, best part about being a fanfic writer? Ur fav is diabetic: Alec Lightwood, im gonna almost kill him a lot, mundane AU, this poor dude is so fucked, type one diabetes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-08-09 12:47:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7802446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magnus_Babe/pseuds/Magnus_Babe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life hates Alec but at least(?) he has Magnus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One.

**Author's Note:**

> My names Kris and I'm your new favorite type one diabetic.
> 
> Come scream at me on tumblr: magnus--babe.tumblr.com

10:34 am

 

The bright red numbers on Alec's clock stared back at him in the darkness of his bedroom, the sweat on his body unmoving and creating a thin layer of moisture that just added to his discomfort. For the past three hours he had been waiting for something. Sleep... to just vomit already, or whatever lied in between. The feeling of bricks settling on his chest however hadn't left either, which was making for the beginnings of a sharp pain in his under ribs every time he inhaled in deeply and shuddering at the pain in his chest that kept him from getting a full breath.

  
  
  


Alec stood up so that he could walk into the kitchen, wanting to get a bit of water into his system with how dehydrated he felt, however when he stood to go and accomplish his task the world around him spun to the point of him sinking down onto his knees and breathing in short gasping breaths as the pain was just too much. "Mom!" He called as he held onto his chest, feeling like he wanted to scream, his breaths still hitching and stopping every time he tried to breath in deeper. "Isabelle!" He called for his sister this time, his voice sounding louder in his ears than it obviously was.

  
  
  


After Alec had finally thrown up, the sharp pains still in his chest, trying to feel for his phone to get the attention of someone in the house in any way possible, not knowing why they couldn't hear him. It took a matter of seconds for Alec to simply lay on the floor, his eyes slipping shut after a few fleeting seconds of silence, his panting breath and his sister screaming his name being the last things he heard as he finally fell asleep, his energy drained.

  
  
  


The next time the Lightwood boy woke up he had four IVs in and his vision was blurred to the point where he couldn't see anything unless he focused hard on it. Blinking around the room, Alec made out the shape of his sister sitting in a chair. "...Isabelle?" Alec managed to get out finally, sitting up in his hospital bed only to be met with a wave of pain and general exhaustion. Breathing in deeply Alec shut his eyes as he tried to ignore the faded black spots around his vision. "...Where are-?"

  
  
  


"They went down to the food court. You've been out since yesterday... It's around three in the afternoon now." Isabelle stated, standing up to be over by his bedside, running a hand through his inky black hair. 

  
  
  


Alec blinked and nodded, inhaling a bit shakily as he swallowed dryly. "...Why do I have so many IV's?" He asked his voice just barely anything more than a dull murmur.

  
  
  


"...You were really dehydrated. A lot happened, Big Brother." Isabelle said, still running her fingers through his hair. "You scared the hell out of me." she continued, looking at him with a small smile. "I'm really happy that you're okay." She finished, leaning down and pressing a kiss to her brothers forehead. 

  
  
  


Alec nodded and shut his eyes again, breathing in deeply with a happy sound. "Me too." He mumbled, scooting over in his bed and giving her room to crawl into the bed with him. As his sister settled in he ran his fingers through her hair, careful of all the wires and tubes connected to him. "Did they tell you about what happened?" he asked, his voice nearly silent with how tired he was. 

  
  
  


"We can talk about it when everyone gets back from the cafeteria. Just go back to sleep for now." She returned, running her fingers through his hair again. 

  
  


And he did. If not for the fact that he now felt safe with his sister lying with him, then for the fact that she had told him too, the beeping of the monitor lulling him into a fast sleep.

  
  


For the next three days, Alec's life consisted of waking up, eating small amounts of food and drinking small amounts of water, nice nurses poking his fingers, his IV's being changed, his blurry vision not changing much but getting better than it had been the first day. At least not he could make out distinct outlines and shapes now. His taste hadn't changed though, everything tasted chalky, even water had a strange taste to it. 

 

On the third night nearing the fourth day Alec was finally deemed stable enough to be moved from the ICU to the normal ward. Sleeping through the night had begun getting hard. He wasn't as exhausted, so the hourly finger pricks (He still had no idea what those were for.), and the labs every four hours were starting to take their toll on him. 

  
  


The next morning, when his Mother and Jace finally walked into the room Alec had been awake for two hours and was feeling rather grouchy at that point. His mother leaned down to kiss his head and Jace offered a smile before finally speaking. "You look pissed off, so I take it you're finally coherent." Jace joked, moving to sit on his brother’s feet as Alec rolled his eyes and moved his feet up a bit before responding. 

 

"I've been woken up every hour on the hour to have my fingers stabbed and labs taken. I'm more than a bit grouchy. Will someone finally tell me what’s going on?" He asked, his voice distraught as he looked between his mother and his best friend. 

 

Mayrse finally spoke up, breathing in deeply and looking at her oldest son. "Alec... You have to promise not to freak out or assume anything." She reasoned. "I know you, and I know you can handle this better than anyone else in our family." 

 

Alec blinked wondering what she was going on about, watching his mother with a look of confusion. 

 

"Mayrse he's going to think he has cancer or something if you go on like that." Jace interrupted, shaking his head with a small huff. 

 

"What else am I supposed to say Jace? That he almost died?" Mayrse returned, crossing her arms over her chest. 

 

"Exactly that! That's what happened!"

 

"Jace. Don't start this now."

 

"Will someone just tell me what the hell is going on?!" Alec finally exploded. "I'm literally in a hospital bed and both of you can't help but argue about how to tell me I have whatever I fucking have-" Alec paused to let out an exasperated breath. "Either tell me what’s going on or get out and I'll call in a nurse who will tell me." 

 

Mayrse finally looked at her son and sighed, running a hand through his hair gently before finally starting to explain. "...Alec. You... Are a Type One Diabetic."

 

Alec paused and looked down at himself, what had been a toned and strong body before he had gotten sick was now pale and frail looking. "...You're funny. I weigh like... One forty right now. There's no way I'm diabetic." He said is disbelief as he crossed his arms over his chest, wincing as the IV's in his arms moved and adjusted. 

 

Jace sighed and pat his brothers leg gently. "Alec you're thinking type two." He explained carefully. "Type two is... Insulin resistance or some shi-... Something." He glanced at Mayrse who was looking at him pointedly. "...Anyways. Type one is when your body stops producing insulin at all. So you can't break down carbs or something like that. Long story short... You're gonna have to inject yourself with insulin now to make up for what your pancreas isn't doing. Also, those finger pricks have been checking your blood sugar levels." As Jace finished explaining  Alec looked lost and a little numb, blinking a few times as he just laid back in his bed again.

 

"...So why am I in the hospital?" He finally asked, and in that moment a rather sparkly looking man in a doctor’s coat brushed in through the door, dark purple scrubs with an almost gold looking trim and black accents. Everything about the doctor demanded attention, from his sparkly eyeliner and eyeshadow, to the glitter in his black and maroon hair, down to the way he held himself. A smile was his lips as he stared at the clipboard in his hands. Alec thought he was beautiful. 

 

"Catarina dear, I'm sure you will be enthralled to learn that we're working toge-..." He paused as he finally glanced up from the board, a pout forming on his full lips as he looked at Mayrse. "You're not Catarina." He said almost accusingly. "I would have assumed she'd been in here by now." He murmured with a hum, blowing a lock of hair out of his face that had fallen into his eyes, a hand now resting on his hip and his stance a bit slouched. "Well. No matter, I'll call her in here in a bit!" The man clasped his hands together and looked at Alec, smiling at him. "I'm Magnus Bane, lead endocrinologist at this lovely establishment, and I've been informed that you have had a rough past few days. Rather unfortunate too. Pretty things like you shouldn't have bad days." 


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec's doctor is hot and keeps flirting with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come scream at me on tumblr; magnus--babe.tumblr.com

Alec felt a light blush cross his cheeks as he opened his mouth to try and speak only to sputter something that was barely intelligible. "I-. Uhm. Yeah it-.. fuck?" Jace gave Alec a look that made him pull face that said 'I have no idea what's going on'.

 

Magnus hummed softly and walked over to the bedside, checking the IV bag and looking at the IV's connected to Alec's arm as he spoke. "It's a bit early for that and you're still rather ill, but hey, I'm open to anything." Magnus joked as he glanced at Jace who had cleared his throat. 

 

"Mayrse let’s go get Isabelle and Robert. I'm sure they want to be here when things start getting fully explained." He said before looking at Alec. "Clary and Simon are visiting later today. Around three or four." Jace finished before exiting the room, Mayrse following after him, stopping to glance back at Magnus with a slightly untrusting glance but was from speaking by Jace who just pulled her along. 

 

Magnus offered a slight smile once they left, watching him carefully. "Alright. So I can remove two of these. Which arm would you like to render useless for approximately two more days assuming you don't take a turn for the worst?" Magnus asked as he grabbed a blood pressure cuff and took Alec's arm wrapping the cuff around the exposed area of his upper arm, squeezing the bit Alec didn't have a name for.

 

"...My left arm." He finally spoke, his voice quiet, inhaling a bit shakily. "I'd like the IV's out of that one." He said quietly and Magnus nodded, looking just a bit concerned.

 

"Alright, I can do that." Magnus said quietly, taking the cuff off his arm and smiling at the other. "Are you in any pain?" He asked after a moment, making a slight face when Alec nodded.

 

"My right arm is burning. Under the skin, where the IV is." Alec explained and Magnus nodded, rubbing his shoulder in a comforting manner, which would normally make Alec a bit uncomfortable but he couldn't find it in him to complain or ask the other to just stop. 

 

"That's the potassium in that IV. Your fluid in the other bag is empty so that's all you're currently getting which... does burn. I'll get Catarina to replace the bag and it'll stop." He explained sitting on the edge of Alec's bed and taking his arm. "Alright, I'm gonna take them out. It shouldn't hurt but it'll feel a little weird because its tubing, but I'm gonna flush them first." Magnus explained as he pulled a few things out of his coat, detaching part of the tubing on the IV in the crook of his elbow and pushing the fluid in, making Alec shiver with how cold it felt. "So. Rough couple of days?" Magnus asked a small smile on his lips.

 

Alec really couldn't help but admire the way the glittery man looked. He was attractive, that was to say the least, and having him so close was helping him actually get a good look at Magnus, which made him all the more nervous as he realized someone that attractive had been hitting on him earlier.

 

"Alexander?" A voice broke through his thoughts as he shook his head to clear his thoughts. 

 

"Sorry-  What? I spaced out." Alec explained as Magnus just smiled in an oddly adoring way.

 

"So I noticed. You were staring, darling."

 

"...Sorry. I Didn't mean to be."

 

"That's alright. You never answered me though. You've had quite the past couple days. How are you doing?" Magnus said as he looked the other in the eyes, pulling the IV out as he did so, Alec finding himself unable to pull away from the gold eyes that stared him down. 

 

"...Fine I guess. I don't really remember much from the past few days." Alec said as Magnus repeated the process of taking out the IV. 

 

"I wouldn't expect you too honestly." He said with an almost pitying look. "You came in and your sugar was one thousand four hundred and thirteen. What happened was your body couldn't handle the glucose content and well... to put it in simple terms, your blood was acidic due to all the sugar in it and your body started to shut down and yadda yadda yadda, scary things are scary. You can google it later like I know you will because everyone does. But! You're still alive, and congratulations because most go into a coma at the point you were at." Magnus said with a smile, patting Alec's leg in another comforting manner. "The only thing you have to worry about now on top of diabetes things is not touching any reptiles anymore because your immune system will contract lizard herpes very easily an-"

 

"Magnus!" A voice shouted as a woman with bright blue hair walked in, her skin was a dark brown and she overall looked to be a very attractive person, (at least from what Alec could make out with her so far away). The playful grin returned to Magnus' lips as he spoke.

 

"Catarina! So nice of you to join us! I was just explaining the danger of lizard herpes to Alexander." Magnus smiled and stood up patting Alec's thigh again, winking at him as he walked over to his long time friend. "It's so good to see you've redyed your hair, your roots were starting to hurt my heart."

 

Catarina rolled her eyes and brushed past Magnus who made an overdramatic offended motion making Alec smile as he hid a laugh behind his hand. 

 

"I'm Catarina Loss." The nurse introduced herself, holding her hand out to Alec and he used his now free arm to shake her hand. "I'm going to be your nurse while you're here. Well... At least from around seven to five. Depending on the day. Him however," She motioned to Magnus. "You're stuck with for a while and I am so sorry." 

 

Magnus pulled a face and crossed his arms over his chest. "Catarina, he loves me; I make him laugh. Stop being mean to me." 

 

"Oh of course, I forget you always flirt with the pretty ones."

 

"Don't make him think he's just a pretty face he's been through enough."

 

"Right. I'm sure you walked in the room and thought 'I bet he has a dazzling personality.'"

 

"Actually that's not too far from what I thought." Magnus took the time to look over at Alec with an apologetic smile. "Don't get me wrong you're attractive, however..."

 

"I haven't showered in a week I almost died a few days ago and I probably look like straight hell?" Alec asked with a small chuckle as he sat up. 

 

"Little bit. Glad you understand." Magnus said with a chuckle as Catarina went to work replacing the empty bag. "Which reminds me, We can get you in a shower tomorrow. Not tonight though. I assume you can barely see right now let alone stand for too long... and showering while you sit just kinda sucks in general." Magnus paused and hummed. "Oh. Do you need to go to the bathroom? Because that's Catarina's job to help you with however I would not be opposed to having you cling to me." He said with a wink. 

 

Catarina however rolled her eyes and ran a hand through her curly hair, sighing a bit. "Oh my god. Stop hitting on my patient. Peeing is not as sexy as you want it to be." Magnus started to open his mouth and Catarina spoke again. "If you make another piss kink joke I'm going to hurt you." And just like that Magnus closed his mouth as Alec was badly attempting to hide his smile before trying to cover his laugh with a cough as Catarina glared at him sharply. 

 

"...I actually have to pee." Alec finally broke the silence, looking away from the pair as he tried to stop his laughter.

 

"Alright. I'll help you up," Catarina stated, walking over to move the bed side down with a hum. "Also I'd stop laughing. You have to pee in a bowl and then someone, meaning Magnus because I have to go to lunch before the charge murders me, gets to test your pee. It's a fun process honestly." 

 

Magnus rolled his eyes at Catarina and hummed. "Believe it or not she’s being nice to you. Most of the time she doesn't even talk unless it's needed." He stated as he went to the computer starting to type in a few things.

 

Walking was hard Alec had learned as he stumbled out of bed, Magnus glancing over as Catarina steadied the frail teen. "Can you stand on your own at the very least?" She asked a hand on his lower back. "I just want to make sure that if I let you go to the bathroom by yourself you're not gonna fall over."

 

Alec just nodded, not trusting his voice to actually answer as this point, clinging to Catarina's sleeve as he inhaled shakily. 

 

Magnus stepped over after a minute and moved to help, opening the bathroom door and moving the IV with them as they walked, deciding that now wasn't the time to make any jokes or anything on the matter. 

 

When Alec was finally back in bed he wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep however he didn't have that option. Like she had promised Catarina left to go to lunch once they had finished up and Magnus had went on with his job with minimal flirting seeing how Alec was currently fairing. 

 

His family returned thirty minutes after Catarina left, Jace and Isabelle sitting on the foot of the bed while Mayrse and Robert sat on the sitting area of the room, Alec however was curled up tiredly, shutting his eyes. Magnus took a bit of pity on him and let him shut his eyes as he went through the ins and outs of care taking and what Alec would have to do now that he was diagnosed. Alec drifted off for most of it however his attention was caught when Magnus's tone turned serious, blearily looking up at the multicolored and glittery man as he spoke.

 

"Listen... Alec may be strong but, this is a chronic illness. Everyone with chronic illness gets some form of burnout and with that comes a lot of anger and depression and... just about anything in between that. Same goes for the first few weeks after being diagnosed. It's a lot of poking and prodding yourself with needles and no matter how often you tell yourself that people pay a lot of money for acupuncture... Well. It gets old really quickly..." 

 

Magnus went on after that but Alec couldn't find it in him to stay awake, he simply shut his eyes again and drifted off into a dreamless and exhausted sleep.


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holy fuck this is short
> 
> I might come back in and add detail later but schools finally gotten into swing and I'm JUST not settling back with having a new disease and being in school SO IM SORRY FOR THE VERY LONG DELAY.
> 
> Scream at me on tumblr!!: Magnus--Babe.tumblr.com
> 
> Photo stalk me on instagram: adorable_dirk

Alec groaned as he felt the light hands of Catarina on his shoulders pulling him out of the land of pure black sleep.

  
"I know honey. But you need to get up. We gotta have you eat something." Catarina spoke soothingly, running a hand softly over his hair as he sat up. "Can you pick a finger for me?"

  
Alec immediately held up his middle finger making Magnus snort from somewhere behind his friend. Despite himself he winced when it was pricked with a lancing device. Jesus his fingers were gonna be bruised by the time this was done.

  
Breathing in shakily he finally managed to glance around the room, noting that Simon, Clary, Isabelle, and Jace were all in the room making it seem a bit crowded, but Alec felt comfortable with so little room. leaning back in his bed and shutting his eyes Alec let out a soft whine and moved down into his covers as he let a few shivers run through him.

  
Magnus was quickly at Alec's side, gently taking one of his hands in his own and looking at the teen on the bed with a slightly pitying face. "Alec. I know you're tired but I can't let you go back to sleep, we need you to eat something okay?" He asked quietly, rubbing Alecs shoulder gently as he offered the younger man the sad smile Alec was sure he gave most patients when they wanted something that they couldn't have.

  
Alec sighed and sat up unhappily, still wrapping the blankets around himself as he shivered in silence. Alec watched as Magnus watched him carefully, before going to take his temperature for the second time. Staring down at the number Magnus glanced at Alec before pressing a hand on his chest, and leaning him back in silence before glancing at Catarina. "Cat darling? Could you go and get two heated blankets and a wet cloth for mister Lightwood?" Magnus asked leaving Alec rather confused though he was now feeling a bit sick to his stomach.

  
Turning onto his side Alec found himself gagging a bit as a trash can was moved under him as he started to vomit. Alec felt a hand lightly rubbing his back as this happened and honestly he was grateful for the anchor. Sitting up after about another minute he felt himself give a full body shudder before leaning back into bed with a defeated look on his features.

  
He felt the rag before he felt the warm blankets and he was equally grateful for both. He heard his friends and siblings whispering among themselves before Clary, Jace, and Simon all got up to leave the room, leaving Alec with Isabelle, Magnus and possibly Catarina as he rubbed at his eyes shutting them tightly.

  
"...I'm in a lot of pain." He finally managed to croak out, rolling on his side as Magnus kept rubbing at his shoulders and his arm.

  
"I'm sure you are darling. Just give us a moment, we're working to get some other medicines in you along with some pain killers." Magnus promised as Alec just nodded curling up under the covers as he shuddered and shivered trying to get the warmth back into his limbs as Magnus continued rubbing his shoulders and arms in silence.

  
It took around fifteen minutes to get the medication Alec needed in him and functioning and in the end Magnus wound up being the one that sat next to him for the entirety of it, Alec grabbing at the Doctors coat anytime he wanted or attempted to move. So Magnus being the person he is he gave in and quietly told the older teen a few stories as Alec's blood was drawn and another IV was put in, Alec's left hand not leaving either of Magnus’s the entire time.

  
That was until he drifted off to sleep. Alec's hand went slack but Magnus kept murmuring the stories quietly to the comatose teen, only stopping when he was sure Alec was asleep. Filling out his charts and writing down a few notes Magnus frowned at Catarina who shared the same look. “Were both off in…. twenty minute.” She stated raising a brow at him.

  
“I’ll buy drinks and a cab if you buy food.” Magnus bartered with a raised brow.

  
“Deal.”

  
They shook on it and there was a slight smile that was shared between the two before they simply turned to their seperate work sheets and finished out their twenty minutes in silence making sure Alec was stable.

 

 


End file.
